Rajaraja Chola I

The birth name of Rajaraja Chola-I was Arulmozhi varman. He was also known as Arunmozhi udayar Periya Udayar. The 30 year period of the Dynastic intrigue was put to an end by Rajaraja Chola I. He was such an able King that for the period of next 20 years, he achieved so many victories that when he died in 1014 AD, he was beyond dispute the lord paramount of Southern India. His territory included today’s whole of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, parts of Andhra Pradesh, parts of Orissa, whole of Kerala and Sri Lanka. The adjacent graphics shows the territories of Rajraja Chola I, in the year 1014 AD.

The first 8 years of his reign were utilized by Rajaraja Chola I for organizing and augmenting his army. Since ages, the Pandyas, Cheras and Sinhala were against the Cholas. The first attack was on Chera King Bhaskara Ravi Varman Thiruvadi and in this campaign in Kerala, Rajaraja I destroyed a fleet in the port of Kandalur. However, some sources say that the port was under Pandyas. This conquest led him to assume the title “Mummudi Chola” (the wearer of three crowns Chera, Chola and Pandya).

In Ceylon, Mahinda V was the King. In 991 AD, the army of Mahinda V mutinied against him and Mahinda fled to take refuge in Southern region of the Island. This was an opportunity used by Rajraja I , who attacked Ceylon in 993 AD. The army of Rajraja I crossed the ocean by ships, burnt Ceylon and destroyed Anuradhapura, the capital of the Sinhala kings of Ceylon. Rajaraja could win half of (northern) island of Sri Lanka and his son Rajendra Chola-I won rests of the territories in the island.

In 998-999 AD, he captured parts of modern Karnataka from the Ganga Kings. By the turn of the millennium, Western Chalukyan Dynasty had rose to prominent power in North of Cholas.Rajaraja I was victorious against the Western Chalukyan King Satyasraya, son of Tailapa II. When the war with the Western Chalukyas concluded the Tungabhadra River became the northern frontier of the Chola Kingdom. He conquered Vengi and subsequently Kalinga. The last conquest was on Maldives most probably.

The Rajrajeshwaram temple at Thanjaur, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site was built by Rajraja Chola . It is known as Brihadeeswarar Temple or Peruvudaiyar Kovil , devoted to lord Shiva.

The temple was built by him on a command given by his lord Shiva in dream. The temple is a testimony to the Chola Power and wealth at the time of Rajraja Chola I. Stories of his victory have been engraved on the walls of this temple. Rajaraja Chola I was a worshipper of Shiva. But he was a liberal minded king , who endowed a Burmese Buddhist Temple (Chudamani Vihara ) at the port of Nagapatam, which survived till 19th century, when in 1867, it was pulled down and the Jesuit priests erected Christian Building over them.

Rajaraja Chola I died in 1014 AD and was succeeded by his son Rajendra Chola, who was declared crown prince in 1012 AD. The powerful standing army and a great navy organized under Rajaraja Chola I achieved even great successes under Rajendra Chola.